Essay - The Tipping Point Ever Wondered Why Some Ideas or Products...

The Tipping Point

Ever wondered why some ideas or products catch on while others don't? Ever thought about what causes social behavior or attitudes to change all of a sudden? Ever wished that it was possible to mastermind radical ***** in the world? Malcolm Gladwell provides answers to these and other related questions in The Tipping Point. Based on a simple ide*****, The Tipping Point is a book that thoroughly analyzes the manner in which trends develop. As Gladwell notes in h***** introduction, "***** *****a is very simple... t*****e best way ***** underst***** the emergence of... trends...or any number of ***** mysterious changes that mark everyday life ***** to think ***** them as epidemics. Ideas and ***** and...behaviors spread just like viruses do." (p. 7)

In support of his theory, Gladwell analyzes the inexplicable revival ***** the Hush Puppies brand and the sudden, dramatic decline in New York C*****y's crime rate in ***** 1990s to explain ***** a p*****rallel can be drawn between trends and *****. As he points out, both types of social ***** can be seen to share three remarkably common characteristics with common viruses such as t***** flu or measles: con*****agiousness; little ***** that had big effects; and change that took place not gradually but at one ***** point. Further, Gladwell suggests that, of the three characteristics, ***** third ***** the idea that epidemics can rise or fall in one dramatic moment is the most imp*****tant s*****ce it helps explain the first two and provides ***** greatest insight into why modern ***** occurs the way it does. Indeed, this is precisely why ***** has chosen to single ***** ***** characteristic by *****ing it and his ***** as the "***** Point."(p. 9)

According to Gladwell, it is possible ***** deliberately start and control pos*****ive epidemics by studying the causes or changes ***** make epidemics tip. Gladwell defines *****se agents of change ***** the Law of the Few, the Stickiness Factor, and the Power of Context (p. 14-1*****). In fact, most ***** ***** book is devoted to explaining the nature of these change agents and the precise manner in which they work.

**********, t***** is one ***** the strengths of the book because ***** does not merely theorize ***** the manner ***** which these ***** agents make ***** tip. Instead, he uses a wide r*****nge of case studies, which ***** draws from diverse arenas of life such as business, criminology, telev*****ion, ***** fashion, ***** both develop and explain his theory. To illustrate, he even goes to the extent of explaining how the suicide act can, ***** does, become contagious (p. 222-227). In addition, he ***** upon several theories and research studies from the fields ***** psychology and sociology to explain in-depth why people respond ***** way they do to the defined change agents.

For instance, he defines the ***** of the Few as "exceptional ***** out there who are capable of starting epidemics." (p. 132) These exceptional people could be "connectors" or persons with a speci*****l gift for bringing